Thermosensitive release unit



June 2, 1931. A. c. BOWL'EY 1,808,684

THERMOSENSITIVE RELEASE UNIT' Filed Nov. 5, 1928 'frzverz for."

I Ari/112 CFawZey 5y fisflfforrze z s I 494 Patented June 2, 1931 UNITEDSTATES OF PENNSYLVANIA Application filed November 3, 1 928.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel form ofthermosensitive release unit adapted to support a load or resist apressure and to release said load or pressure under predeterminedtemperature conditions.

In the attached drawings:

Figure 1 is a transverse sect-ion through a unit made in accordance withmy invention;

Fig. 2 is an inverted planview of the unit as shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33-, Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawings, 1 is a relatively fixed member which inthe present instance takes the form of a cylindrical body having athrough passage 2 terminating at one end in a surface 3which'constitutes in the present instance a seat for an element 4.Obviously, the element 4, which takes the form in the present instanceof a disk, and the immediately associated parts of the memher 1 may beso formed that the said element constitutes a sealing closure for thepassage2.

5 is a stem, one end of which is threaded into the element 4, and thisstem has at the opposite end a head or transverse enlargement 6, thepurpose of which will be set forth hereinafter. The head 6, as shown inFig. 3, is substantially circular in form, but has recesses orindentations 7 at opposite sides into which extend pressed-in portions 8of a receptacle 9, which otherwise loosely fits over the head and theimmediately adjacent portion of the stem 5. By reason of theinterlocking recesses and indentations 7 and 8, the stem 5 and thereceptacles 9 are relatively fixed as regards angular movement aroundthe axis of the stem 5. The receptacle, however, is free, except ashereinafter set forth, to slide longitudinally of the stem.

11 is a perforated washer slidable on the stem 5, which as illustratedin Fig. 1 is adapted in assembly to abut the inner edge of thereceptacle 9; and confined between this washer 11 and the head 6 andencased at the side by the receptacle 9 is a body of fusible compound12, preferably of the character of alphamononitronaphthalene. The washer11 preferably is corrugated as at. 10' in that OF PHILADELPHIA,

mnnnmosmvsrrivn nnnnnsn UNIT Serial No. 317,105. I

part bearing on the edges of the'recepta'cle 9'.

13 1s a strut member which in assembly' bearsag'ainst the outer face ofthe element 4 and" which comprises diverging "inclined arms, the outerends of which bear respectively upon levers 14, 14. as shown, the innerends of these levers engaging in back of an annular boss 15 at the outerend" of an annular flange 16 on the-relatively fixed member 1, while theopposite'encs of-the' lever-s engage theexposed face of the-washer 11'and are recessed, as indicated at 17 in Fig. 2, 130 prevent displacementunder normal conditions. With theparts in the relative position shown inFig. 1, rotation ofthe ste1'n'5 such as to cause the threads of thestemto enter the element 4 results in, a .tensioning of the strut 13 and thelevers 14 which react with the relatively fixed member 1, the element 4and the washer 11-insuclr manner as to hold the element l firmly to its"seat 3*0n* the member 1. WVhen so assembled, the element 45 is held" toits seatwith consid'erableforc'e,and isre leasable by the fusion of thecompound 12, this fusion permitting the washer 1 -1 to move outwardly onthe the associated ends of the levers 14, with the result that theelement 4 and associated parts are released and permitted to drop fromthe body-1. i 7 It will be noted that the receptacle 9 is held in theassembled position only by the adhesion with the fusible compound or byfriction therewith, so that when the compound fuses, the receptacle'ofiers substantially no 'resistance to the outward movement of the washer 11 on the stem; 7 i

The illustrated embodiment of my invention is subject to considerablemodification without departure from the invention.

I claim:

- 1. Ina thermosensitive release unit, a rela-: tlvely fixed member, asecond member com with saidrelatively fixedmember to support stem andthereby releasing said second member in the latter, said system beingreleasable by fusion of said fusible compound to permit displacement ofsaid second member from the relatively fixed 5 member. 7

2. In a thermosensitive release unit, a relatively fixed member, anelement adapted to seat against said member, a stem threaded in saidelement, a fusible composition car- 10 ried by said stem, a strut memberslidable on the stem and adaptedto seat against said seated element,said strut member comprising divergingarms, and a pair of leversc0nstituting a bearing for the outer ends of said strut arms, the outerends of said levers be ing fulcrumed on said relatively fixed memher,and the inner ends being confined by said fusible compound wherebythrough said" strut and levers the seatedmember is retained in positionand is released upon the fusion of said fusible compound.

3. In a thermosensitive release unit, a base member having a port, asecond member separate from the base member and including a port-closingelement and a thermosensitive release element, and a'system of leversand struts confined between said elements and reacting with the basemember to retain the closure element in port-closing position againstthe base member.

4. In a thermosensitive release unit, a base member having a port, asecond member in cluding a port-closing element and a thermosensitiverelease element, a system of levers and struts confined between saidelements and reacting with the base member to retain the closure elementin port closing position against the base member, and means forrelatively adjusting said elements to tension said 49 levers and struts.V

' 5. In a thermosensitive release unit, a basemember having a port, anelement seated upon the base member and closing the port, a stemextending from said element, an abutment on the stem, an elementslidable on the stem, a fusible substance confined between and'retaining the abutment'and slidable element in spaced relation, and asystem of struts and levers confined between the slid- 5 able elementand the closure element and reacting with the base to retain the closureele- .ment in port-closing position.

6. In a thermosensitive release unit, a base member having a port, anelement seated 5:1; upon the base member and closing the port, a stemextending from said element, an abutment on the stem, a fusible plugseatedon sai'd'abutment, and a' system of struts and V V levers confinedbetween said plug and the 7 cc closure element and reacting with thebase to retain the closure element in port-closing position.

ARTHUR C. ROVVLEY.

